December Fact Or Fiction- Supplements Or Food- Which Is Better? Supplements Are Just That- Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals in a Pill to “Supplement” Your Diet
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Nutrition Fact or Fiction? Answers to FAQ Nutrition is an important part of patient outcomes during cancer treatment. There is a lot of information available as well as misinformation for patients and staff in the news, from well-meaning friends and online. “Nutrition Fact or Fiction” will help to provide evidence-based information to clarify some of this misinformation. We will add to the list monthly, but please feel free to contact me to ask additional questions you have. December Fact or Fiction- Supplements or Food- which is better? Supplements are just that- supplemental vitamins and minerals in a pill to “supplement” your diet. When they first isolated vitamins and nutrients in food, it was thought they were the magic nutrient and could provide benefits alone. However, nutrients don’t work alone. They work with your body and the whole foods you eat. An example is the phytochemical, isothiocyante. This nutrient needs the enzyme found in whole broccoli sprouts to be absorbed more efficiently. When the phytochemical is taken alone, it doesn’t show the same benefits. Vitamin E is another example of the benefits of consuming it in foods rather than a supplement. The synthetic forms found in isolated vitamin E contains only alpha tocopherol. The natural form of vitamin E found in foods contains four types of tocopherol and four tocotrienol compounds helping it to be more effective. Research is also suggesting that nutrients, plant chemicals and dietary fiber work together to provide more health benefits than each one does by itself. We may not even know everything that is a food that may be helping to make the other nutrients more available. So bottom line, eat foods to benefit from the nutrients in it, rather than relying only on supplements. November Fact or Fiction- 10 Nutrition Myths Myth # 1: Gluten-free foods are healthier. Gluten is important to avoid if you have Celiac disease, but otherwise it is an ingredient in many healthy foods. By avoiding gluten, you may miss out on many healthy whole grains that may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity and some types of cancer. Myth # 2: Eating all superfoods is the key to better health. You get the most benefit from eating a wide variety of foods because there are synergistic effects that give you more health benefits than just eating one food. No one food is “best”. Myth # 3: You only need to limit salt intake if you have high blood pressure. One of the best ways to reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure is to reduce your salt intake. Healthy people should limit total salt to no more than 2,300 milligrams/day. Myth # 4: Sugar is toxic. No long-term studies show that sugar is toxic or causes disease on its own. However, if you are getting your calories from just sugary, high-fat foods instead of vegetables, whole grains and fruit, the risk of disease may increase. Myth # 5: Fresh produce is healthier than canned or frozen. Food that is fresh- picked has a lot of good nutrition, but if it isn’t consumed within a few days, it starts losing nutrients. Frozen and even canned produce can be a better choice when food is picked and packaged at its prime so more nutrients are retained. Myth # 6: Organic foods are healthier. Organic foods may be better for the environment, but multiple studies were unable to confirm that they are healthier for you. What’s most important is to make sure you consume a lot of vegetables and fruit- 7- 9 servings per day is a good goal including a wide variety and a rainbow of colors. Myth #7: Natural foods are nutritious. The term “Natural” has no official definition by the FDA. It can really mean anything, but manufacturers count on that buzz word to convince consumers it’s a better choice. Myth # 8: Soy can cause cancer. Even women who had estrogen receptor positive breast cancer can consume soy. Recommendations are that it’s safe to consume 2-3 servings of whole soy foods/day such as tofu, soy milk, edamame, tempeh or soy nuts. It is suggested to limit consumption of isolated soy protein sometimes found in higher protein snack bars, cereals or veggie products. Myth # 9: Farm-raised fish isn’t healthy. Farm-raised fish provides a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and a low mercury content. Newer techniques in farm- raised fish makes it more sustainable and healthier. Myth # 10: Margarine is loaded with unhealthy trans fats. Not all margarines are the same! Regular stick margarine goes through a hydrogenation process which increases the trans fats it contains which are the unhealthiest. Better options are soft tub margarines that contain more liquid oil with little or no trans fat. October Fact or Fiction: Garlic- Are there Potential Benefits? Garlic has been used as a culinary and medicinal ingredient for many years. Ancient cultures used garlic to help with digestion and thought it benefitted the heart. It provides a flavor to brighten the taste of food. Garlic, Allium sativum, has a bold pungency when raw and more of a creamy sweetness when cooked. The bulb is made up of numerous cloves and grows underground. It contains allicin, a sulfur-containing compound that is responsible for the aroma and health-promoting properties. Garlic is a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants such as vitamin B6, manganese, and vitamin C. A recent meta-analysis in Nutrition Research and Practice with more than 100 studies provided consistent evidence that garlic powder reduced total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure. Garlic has also been linked to decreasing some kinds of cancer. Studies in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research found that a high intake of allium may reduce gastric cancer but more research is needed. Garlic comes in several forms such as raw cloves, garlic powder, flakes and paste. When choosing raw cloves, look for firm bulbs that are tight with dry unbroken skin. Store in a dark, dry pulse to keep garlic fresh for up to a month. Chopping and smashing the garlic helps to release even more of garlic’s healthful properties. Garlic is very versatile and can be used in dips, purees, as a spread, added to vegetables and sautes or added to salad dressings. Or, try roasting garlic for a potent treat: 1 head garlic 1 tsp olive oil Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove as much of the papery covering on the garlic as possible while keeping the cloves intact. Place in the center of a piece of foil and drizzle with oil. Cover tightly, wrapping the foil around the garlic. Roast in oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes. To serve, squeeze the garlic out of its skin and eat! September Fact or Fiction: Foods to Boost Satiety Have you ever eaten something and then are hungry a few hours later? You may not be eating food that help you feel more full. Some foods such as oatmeal, almonds and Greek yogurt for example can help with this. Foods that are high in satiety tend to have more fiber, protein and healthy fats. All of these are digested more slowly so we feel full longer. These foods can also help to prevent blood sugar spikes followed by low blood sugar levels. Processed foods such as sugary boxed cereals, snacks and white bread or refined grains can lead to hunger pangs. Here are a few foods to try to incorporate into your diet to help keep your appetite more even and may even help to decrease temptation and overeating: Oatmeal: Research in the Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism showed that subjects who started their day with a bowl of oatmeal reported feeling less hunger and ate 31% fewer calories than those who ate the same number of calories in processed cereal. The satiety offered by oatmeal may be due to the high levels of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber turns into a gel-like substance in your stomach which slows down digestion and helps to keep you full for longer. Eggs: An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that people who ate two eggs for breakfast during a three month study reported less hunger and increased satiety after eating compared to those who consumed an egg-free meal. The egg diet had no detrimental impact on blood cholesterol. Eggs are high in protein that can help to reduce circulating levels of grehlin, a hormone that increases appetite. If you are at risk for heart disease, the American Heart Association recommends limiting whole eggs to 3 times/week. The white of the egg is unlimited and that is where the protein is. Almonds: A European Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that people who snack on almonds (just 1-1/2 ounces), experienced less hunger and desire to eat throughout the day. They didn’t gain weight which may because they didn’t feel hungry so ended up eating less overall. Nuts contain healthy fat, protein and fiber- all healthy ingredients to ward off hunger. Beans: Legumes such as beans, lentils and peas were found to increase satiety by researchers at the University of Toronto. They provide a good source of protein and fiber. These plant-based protein sources were found to be just as effective as animal protein in decreasing hunger. Whole Grains: Whole grains have been shown to encourage satiety and reduce post-meal insulin levels compared to refined breads. Whole grains are high in fiber to help increase satiety.